scheffer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

5 F E H 0 S M VARIABLE GEARING.

No. 552,551. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

{W WW4 I (No Model.) 4 2 sheetsrsheet 2.

D. M. SGHEFFER.

VARIABLE GrEABING.

Patented Jan. 7, 189 6.

AN DREW lGRlH-AM. PHUTO-LITNILWASHIN BTON. D17.

N ITED ES NT FFI DAVID M. SCI'IEFFER, OF NEIV CASTLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I VINSLOW D. JENNINGS, OF SAME PLACE.

VARIABLE GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,551, dated January 7, 1896.

I Application filed February 21, 1895. Serial No. 539,294. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID M. SOHEFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Castle, in the county of Henry and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable Gearing, of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to variable gear of a class particularly adapted for cycles.

The object is to provide mechanism by which the speed and power of a cycle may be readily varied at will while the machine is in motion and without in any way inconveniencing the rider, and, further, to provide a light, simple, and inexpensive device capable of being applied to any bicycle of the safety type without necessitating change or alteration in the construction thereof, and which when so applied will present a neat and ornamental appearance.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel combinations and Fig. 3 is a detail View in perspective of the lower end of the controlling-rod. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the gear. Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line a", a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a face view of the multiple-gear disk, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the bevel-pinions nested.

In the drawings, A represents a bicycle of the safety type; a, the frame thereof; a the crank-shaft, which is rotatably mounted in the frame; (6 a, the front and rear sprocketwheels; a the sprocket-chain, and a thehandle-bar.

B represents the gear, comprising a sleeve b, which is mounted upon ball-bearings b to turn loosely on the crank-shaft. At one end the sleeve carries the front sprocket-wheel, which is detachably locked to revolve therewith, and the opposite end is flared and toothed upon the inner face of the flared portion adjacent the periphery, forming a bevelgear 19 The toothed extremity of the sleeve is seated in a centrally-formed circular recess of a gear-carrying disk I), which latter is keyed to revolve with the crank-shaft. The face of this disk beyond the central recess is divided by circular'walls or flanges 17 into three channels or grooves 19 all of which are concentric with the central recess. In each of these grooves a flat toothed ring I) is secured so as to revolve with the disk.

C represents the spring-actuated controlling-rod and its parts. At the lower end this rod is provided with a squared detachable section 0, which is swiveled in the upper end of a tubular section 0 and passes through a squared opening 0 in the detachable cap 0 of the casing, which serves to prevent its turning. This tubular section is rotatably mounted to slide in a sleeve 0 and is provided at or near its lower end with a transversely-disposed pin 0 which is secured in any suitable manner, as by the central threaded bolt 0 so that its ends project through slots 0 of the sleeve. This sleeve is socketed and turns upon a stud c", and has a cone 0 at its upper end which forms part of a ball-bearing c for the sleeve. Loosely mounted on the sleeve are a series of bevelpinions c ithere being preferably four. These pinions are arranged to lie in engagement with the toothed rings of the gear-carrying disk, and, are each provided with diametrically-opposite grooves 0 to allow for the passage of the projecting ends of the pin of the tubular section. The lowermost pinion,which meshes with the gear of the sleeve encircling the crank-shaft, is detachably keyed to the sleeve inclosing the tubular section of the controlling-rod by lugs c integral with the last-1nentioned sleeve which lie within the grooves of the pinion.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that as the crank-shaft is rotated the speed of the machine or the number of revolutions of the driving or front sprocketwheel will depend upon the position of the engaging projections of the sliding tubular section--that is to say, as these projections of the section serve as a sliding clutch to lock the parts in or out of gear the speed of the machine will vary according to the diameter of the gear of the disk which transmits power to the front sprocket-wheel by engaging a pinion locked to revolve with the tubular section.

In use, when it is desired to adjust the gear for low speed, the rider, grasping the handle of the controlling-rod, forces it' downward until the ends of the transverse pin engage and look into the grooves of the lower bevelpinion which meshes with the disk-gear of smallest diameter. It is intended that the cycle is in the highest speed, and to effect a change it is only necessary to grip the controlling-rod at the handle-bar and bring it down to engage one of the two lower pinions, as desired. To effect a change from a lower to a higher speed it is only necessary to release the hand from the controlling-rod, and the upward-acting spring which encircles the rod causes the transverse pin to become locked in the grooves of the bevel-pinion above the lowermost pinion, and thereby increases the speed, as desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim is 1. A multiple gear for bicycles, consisting of the combination with the main drive or pedal shaft, of a disk rigidly connected to said shaft provided with a series of concentrically arranged circular gears on its inner face, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft having the drive sprocket wheel secured to one end thereof and having cog teeth formed at the opposite end thereof, a series of pinions meshing with the circular gears on said disk, a pinion rigidly connected to the shaft upon which said series of pinions are loosely mounted, said pinion meshing with the gear on the sleeve, and means controlled by the rider for separately connecting the said pinions with the shaft upon which they are mounted, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A multiple gear for bicycles, consisting of the combination with the main drive or pedal shaft, of a disk rigidly connected to said shaft provided with a series of concentrically arranged circular gears on its inner face, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft having the drive sprocket wheel secured to one end thereof, said sleeve having cog teeth formed at the opposite end thereof, a series of pinions meshing with the circular gears on said disk, and having vertically arranged grooves therein, a shaft having a pinion detachably secured to its lower end meshing with the teeth on said sleeve, a transverse projecting bar 011 said shaft adapted to fit the grooves in said pinions, and an extension to said shaft connected through a swivel thereto and slidingly mounted in a part of the framework of the bicyle in easy reach of the rider, substantially as and for the purpose de scribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID M. SOHEFFER.

WVitnesses:

THEODORE HARTER, ADOLPH ROGERS. 

